Chihuahua Information Center
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How to Bottle Feed a Chihuahua
There may be several situations in which you may find yourself having to bottle feed a baby Chihuahua dog. Sometimes the mother does not or is not able to provide the puppy with milk. There are also instances in which a Chihuahua puppy is orphaned, left alone, only with you to count on to provide enough nutrients to stay alive.
Most puppies will feed from their mom for 8 weeks. During the last couple of weeks, they may slowly cut down and make the slow, yet steady change over to dog food. However, this topic will discuss bottle feeding a Chihuahua dog from birth.
Most puppies will feed from their mom for 8 weeks. During the last couple of weeks, they may slowly cut down and make the slow, yet steady change over to dog food. However, this topic will discuss bottle feeding a Chihuahua dog from birth.
How Often
A newborn Chihuahua dog should be bottle fed every 3 hours. This is done around the clock, not just during the day. Therefore, the pup should be drinking 8 times in a 24 hour day.
How Much
The best way to know when you have fed your Chihuahua puppy enough milk replacement is to notice his or her tummy. It will round out and look a bit full when the pup has had enough. However, it is very important to not feed the puppy too much. He or she will be eating ab out 8 times per day; there is no need to overfill the dog and it may lead to health problems.
Once the Chihuahua puppy is 4 weeks old, you can lower the feedings to 4 or 5 per day. By 6 weeks, the pup should be having 2 or 3 bottle feedings along with a soupy mixture of dog food and water which will be the weaning process. By 8 weeks, you will be just about done and in the middle of strongly encouraging weaning and eating of regular dog food.
You will want to weigh your pup and then follow these guidelines: For every 1/4 of a pound (100 grams) a Chihuahua pup weighs, you will need to feed the dog .67 ounces (20 milliliters) per day. For example, if your puppy is 1 pound, an estimate of how much to feed the dog would be 2.68 ounces (80 milliliters). Do keep in mind that this is an estimate. Each dog is very different. If your Chihuahua's tummy rounds out and the puppy seems to have plenty of energy, he or she is most likely receiving enough. If the puppy seems weak and has difficulty feeding, your dog's veterinarian will be able to tell you if the pup is getting the correct amount of nutrition.
Each week that goes by, guidelines suggest reducing the amount of milk replacement by .2 ounces (5.9 milliliters)
What to Feed a Chihuahua Newborn
Some people have interesting ideas about what to feed a newborn puppy when bottle feeding. Some swear that Goat's milk works wonderful. Others create a recipe that they claim offers optimal health. While you can mix together your own concoction, ones which include yolks, corn oil and yogurt, among other ingredients, you will be tired enough taking constant care of your newborn Chihuahua and purchasing a high quality milk replacement is recommended.
How to Bottle Feed a Chihuahua Newborn
Keeping in mind that you will need to feed the puppy every 3 hours, you will want to prepare a bottle or 2 at a time. The formula must be mixed extremely well, having any lumps will not only possibly clog the bottle, but can be hurtful to the dog's digestive system if it gets past the holes in bottle tip and into the dog.
Some bottles will not have any holes, so that you may make ones necessary for your particular breed of dog. For the Chihuahua, it is recommended to use a sterilized needle to make 3 holes. However, the goal is that once the bottle is shaken and held upside down that only 2 to 3 drops come out. Make 1 hole at a time until you see that this correct amount of milk is coming out.
If too much comes out, your Chihuahua puppy could choke inhaling it, and if not enough comes out, your puppy will swallow air, thus leading to potentially painful stomach gas.
The temperature of the milk should be room temperature. Be sure not to heat the formula up, this can cause great injury to the puppy.
While you may be tempted to hold the Chihuahua puppy as you would a child, the dog should be allowed to lay down on its tummy and feed.
After Each Feeding
You will need to burp your Chihuahua. This is done in the same fashion as with a baby. You will hold the dog with its tummy against your chest and shoulder. Gently pat the dog's back until you hear a healthy burp come out.
Newborn puppies have no idea of the bowel elimination process. Normally the mother dog stimulates this for her puppy. If you are on your own, taking care of a Chihuahua puppy, you will need to do this. Using a soft, clean wash cloth the outside anus area of the puppy must be gently massaged. This will trigger a bodily response that will cause the puppy to eliminate. Since this can be quite messy and the dog is certainly not old enough to be house trained, this can be done over newspapers which can then be quickly thrown away.
To Recap
These 8 weeks of bottle feeding your Chihuahua puppy will be very busy for you and very important to the health of your dog. With love, patience and time, in just 8 short weeks you will have a rambunctious Chi puppy running around your home. If you have any concerns about the feeding of the pup or other health questions, speak to your dog's veterinarian right away. A newborn puppy can not afford to wait if he or she is having health issues. Don't forget, that with the PetChiDog book, you learn all of the details of newborn Chihuahua care & tons of information that only the Pros know.
A newborn Chihuahua dog should be bottle fed every 3 hours. This is done around the clock, not just during the day. Therefore, the pup should be drinking 8 times in a 24 hour day.
How Much
The best way to know when you have fed your Chihuahua puppy enough milk replacement is to notice his or her tummy. It will round out and look a bit full when the pup has had enough. However, it is very important to not feed the puppy too much. He or she will be eating ab out 8 times per day; there is no need to overfill the dog and it may lead to health problems.
Once the Chihuahua puppy is 4 weeks old, you can lower the feedings to 4 or 5 per day. By 6 weeks, the pup should be having 2 or 3 bottle feedings along with a soupy mixture of dog food and water which will be the weaning process. By 8 weeks, you will be just about done and in the middle of strongly encouraging weaning and eating of regular dog food.
You will want to weigh your pup and then follow these guidelines: For every 1/4 of a pound (100 grams) a Chihuahua pup weighs, you will need to feed the dog .67 ounces (20 milliliters) per day. For example, if your puppy is 1 pound, an estimate of how much to feed the dog would be 2.68 ounces (80 milliliters). Do keep in mind that this is an estimate. Each dog is very different. If your Chihuahua's tummy rounds out and the puppy seems to have plenty of energy, he or she is most likely receiving enough. If the puppy seems weak and has difficulty feeding, your dog's veterinarian will be able to tell you if the pup is getting the correct amount of nutrition.
Each week that goes by, guidelines suggest reducing the amount of milk replacement by .2 ounces (5.9 milliliters)
What to Feed a Chihuahua Newborn
Some people have interesting ideas about what to feed a newborn puppy when bottle feeding. Some swear that Goat's milk works wonderful. Others create a recipe that they claim offers optimal health. While you can mix together your own concoction, ones which include yolks, corn oil and yogurt, among other ingredients, you will be tired enough taking constant care of your newborn Chihuahua and purchasing a high quality milk replacement is recommended.
How to Bottle Feed a Chihuahua Newborn
Keeping in mind that you will need to feed the puppy every 3 hours, you will want to prepare a bottle or 2 at a time. The formula must be mixed extremely well, having any lumps will not only possibly clog the bottle, but can be hurtful to the dog's digestive system if it gets past the holes in bottle tip and into the dog.
Some bottles will not have any holes, so that you may make ones necessary for your particular breed of dog. For the Chihuahua, it is recommended to use a sterilized needle to make 3 holes. However, the goal is that once the bottle is shaken and held upside down that only 2 to 3 drops come out. Make 1 hole at a time until you see that this correct amount of milk is coming out.
If too much comes out, your Chihuahua puppy could choke inhaling it, and if not enough comes out, your puppy will swallow air, thus leading to potentially painful stomach gas.
The temperature of the milk should be room temperature. Be sure not to heat the formula up, this can cause great injury to the puppy.
While you may be tempted to hold the Chihuahua puppy as you would a child, the dog should be allowed to lay down on its tummy and feed.
After Each Feeding
You will need to burp your Chihuahua. This is done in the same fashion as with a baby. You will hold the dog with its tummy against your chest and shoulder. Gently pat the dog's back until you hear a healthy burp come out.
Newborn puppies have no idea of the bowel elimination process. Normally the mother dog stimulates this for her puppy. If you are on your own, taking care of a Chihuahua puppy, you will need to do this. Using a soft, clean wash cloth the outside anus area of the puppy must be gently massaged. This will trigger a bodily response that will cause the puppy to eliminate. Since this can be quite messy and the dog is certainly not old enough to be house trained, this can be done over newspapers which can then be quickly thrown away.
To Recap
These 8 weeks of bottle feeding your Chihuahua puppy will be very busy for you and very important to the health of your dog. With love, patience and time, in just 8 short weeks you will have a rambunctious Chi puppy running around your home. If you have any concerns about the feeding of the pup or other health questions, speak to your dog's veterinarian right away. A newborn puppy can not afford to wait if he or she is having health issues. Don't forget, that with the PetChiDog book, you learn all of the details of newborn Chihuahua care & tons of information that only the Pros know.
